Has a prospective client ever said your small business was too limited to serve their needs? Does your small business lack expertise in critical areas? Well, there’s a way to add skills, size, and strength without hiring a single employee. Join with others to form a “virtual company.” What’s a virtual company? It’s an alliance …
10 Rules for Small Business Success
For over 25 years, I’ve helped small business owners start, run, and grow their companies. I’ve worked with all sizes of businesses: from one-person micro-businesses to companies with hundreds of millions in revenue. I’ve consulted with companies in all kinds of industries. Some served consumers; some served other businesses. There were start-ups and long-established entities. …
8 Branding Tips From Santa
Santa Claus. Stop for a minute and picture Santa. I bet you’ve got a really clear vision: red suit with white trim, big white beard, and pretty chubby. You’ve also got a clear sense of what Santa stands for: giving, jolly, Christmas. And you know how Santa makes you feel: happy. Santa’s a branding genius. And you …
The Biggest Small Business Day of the Year
The most important day of the year for small business is only a few weeks away. Is your business ready? In just six short years since it was first observed, “Small Business Saturday” has become a sales powerhouse, driving traffic to local and small businesses during the all-important holiday season. It’s now an American institution, …
8 Can’t Lose Sales Strategies
If you own a small business, you may think of yourself as a baker, graphic designer, technologist, or whatever industry you’re in. But if you hope to succeed, there’s one title you better add: salesperson. Every small business owner and entrepreneur needs to get out there and make sales. Of course, many small business owners …
9 Secrets of Trade Show Success
It may be summer, but if you’re a small business owner wanting to grow your business, it’s time to start thinking about fall. When the leaves turn gold, there’s a golden opportunity to grow your business: autumn is the busiest season for industry trade shows and conferences, and those are great for finding and securing …
9 Small Business Problems You Want
If you run a small business, you’ll reap many benefits. But, let’s face it, every business encounters some problems. But if you’re lucky, you’ll have good problems. What’s a “good problem?” It’s the kind showing you’re doing something right. But it still leaves you with a challenge you need to face. Still, no one ever …
How to Reach Your Small Business Customers
You’ve got a killer idea for your small business. You’ve created a great new product or service, set up operations, raised sufficient money to get out of the gate. But where are the customers? It’s time to pay attention to marketing. During Small Business Week, I’m devoted to helping you “Make this Your Year to …
7 Steps to Finding Your Ideal Customer
Startup Sally. Venture Vic. Paul Pasta. Midlife Mary. These customers are vitally important to my small business. And none of them are real. They’re a few of the “personas” we’ve devised to help us in our product development process. Some of the most important “customers” for your small business may not be real people at …
